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1979 N20 Cola 400 at Talladega
NOTE: This is the 1100th page in this wiki! The 1979 N20 Cola 400 at Talladega is a Piston Cup race known for Ronald Oaks' incredible crash. It's one of the races of part-time racers Thomas Tanrev, Claude Scruggs, Harold Axel, Misti Motorkrass, and Eugene Carbureski but not Billy Ford and rookie Dale Earnhardt Sr. Ronald flipped 19 times in the accident, the 11th most flips in '''HISTORY! '''Luckily, he survived. This is the reason why roof flaps were introduced in 1980 instead of 1994, though we still have airborne crashes. This race was won by Bill Brady with Herbert Brown 2nd and Strip Weathers 3rd. Television Biography Network: RSN Announcers: Pinkie Pie and Spike Pit Announcer: Lapis Lazuli Transcript BOOGITY's and Highbanks spins! Spike: BOOGITY BOOGITY BOOGITY! LET'S GO RACING AT CALLADEGA BOYS!!! (On-board on Dale Sr is shown until he heads to turn 2) Pinkie: TROUBLE TURN 2! WILLIAM HIGHBANKS SPINS AND IS OUT! Spike: Poor William Highbanks out there, you were riding with Dale Sr there. (Replay) Spike: The replay shows Highbanks spinning out which happened in the first lap after my iconic three "BOOGITY's" since 1953 at Martinsville. (Live) Pinkie: The first caution comes out and we'll be back in just a moment. (end of transcript) Ronald's Airborne Crash! Ronald (pop): OH NO MY TIRE! MY FREAKING TIRE AHHHHH! Spike: Ronald Oaks bursts a right-front tire and flies high and high and HIGH in the air! Pinkie: I DON'T BELIEVE THIS! RONALD OAKS IS GONE SEVERAL METERS HIGH! Spike: OH NO HE COMES BACK ON THE GROUND! HITS HARD '''RIGHT ON THE INSIDE WALL CAUSING HIS ROOF TO BE CRUSHED ALMOST COMPLETELY! '''RONALD OAKS WITH A HARD IMPACT AND BURSTING INTO FLAMES! Pinkie: Oh my god! I think I'm going to cry (cries) WHY RONALD! YOU DID NOT DESERVE THIS! Spike: Me-me too (cries)! It's hopeless Pinkie. It's the end of his career. He will be lucky to live after this crash. Pinkie: Yeah. Just look at how high the fire it's almost reaching here. He is upside down as well. Spike: I know. He will be airlifted to Calladega Track Hospital about a few kilometers west from here. I can already see the rescue helicopter. Pinkie: Good luck medical team. Please just save him! (cries harder) (Ronald Team Radio) Gary: Oh my (Popeye toot) goodness! THAT WAS SO (Serbia Strong) BAD! (NOTE: Ronald misses the rest of the season and the first 11 races of 1980 and returns in the 1980 Mood Springs 400. Joe Carbureski will replace him.) Racers About Ronald Oaks (The King, Brad Gonzalez, Harold Axel, James Robson, Mike Yankee, Kraig Shiftright, Herbert Brown, Bill Shields, and Bill Brady, in order, are the ones interviewed with Lapis.) Lapis: Racers, what's your feeling about Ronald Oaks flipping like a maniac anyone please speak up? The King: I was right there in 2nd place and I saw his tire pop and he then flew in the air. I saw him go high up until he was almost impossible to see. I then heard a GIGANTIC boom sound, him crashing on the inside wall which I did not see. Brad: I did not see the crash but did hear an explosion-like sound, I was in 24th place. I did also come across the wreckage and fire. Man what a sight it was. Harold: Terrible crash. James Robson: I had crashed on lap 17 with Ernie Gearson and I was in the resting area where the tow tows you and I saw a blue thing flying. It looked like a 1960's Chevrolet which was Ronald Oaks. Mike: OH MAH GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Kraig: I had a very clear view of it as I was in the 6th position. Ronald was leading and popped a tire and went flying. I can tell it was at least 10 or so meters if not 20 (it was 15 meters) just seeing how high he went. Terrifying. Herbert: I also saw the crash as I was in the middle of the pack. It seemed everyone from 2nd to 17th saw the crash. I was one of those who saw it and since I was 14th I saw Ronald landing upside down on the inside wall and catching fire, the grass also on fire. Bill Shields: I have never seen anything like that in my LIFE! (Famous quote that is usually said by Darrell and Pinkie in commentary, but this is the 2nd time a racer used it after Junior Moon in the Hudson Hornet's Fireball Beach accident). Bill Brady: SO SCARY! FIRE EVERYWHERE! The fire was on the grass and the wall and Ronald Oaks. Lapis: Thank you for your thoughts. Ronald has been transported in the helicopter and has arrived in the hospital at 4:12 pm where he is in critical condition currently surrounded by his wife Susan, mother Karen, brother Harrison and their children, 13-year-old Rudy (real name of Ruby, Ruby was given as a nickname due to his red color, yes he was red before the Easy Idle blue came in and he is born in 1966) and 5-year-old daughter Michelle. Back to you Pinkie and Spike! Spike: Yes, so as she said Ronald Oaks currently in critical condition surrounded by family. He suffered severe roof damages and fluid loss and suffered burn injuries and is being treated in the Calladega Track Hospital about 9 kilometers west of here. I also finally stopped crying. We know two things. He will either miss at least 20 races or his career is over. Pinkie (crying): I have not stopped crying but can you blame me, Ronald Oaks was one of my faves! 4 Days Later (RSN News Block) Ronald (very weakly): What was that?! Harrison: Ronald, THANK GOD! I thought you were paralyzed or something. Everyone was worried about you. The kids are at bed currently so no need to worry about them. But your racing career is pretty much done. Susan: Yeah I hate to say it but you cannot race for a very long time. I know how much you like racing I mean racing for almost 20 years proves that. Ronald (weakly): I know that. Danger, well it's a part of racing honestly so I'm going to go back, whether you like it or not. Results # Bill Brady - 200 laps # Herbert Brown - 200 laps # The King - 200 laps # Don Chapcar- 200 laps # Kraig Shiftright - 200 laps # Andrew Axler - 200 laps # Alloy Wilson - 200 laps # Mike Seasons - 200 laps # Johnathan Melter - 200 laps # Harold Axel - 200 laps # Don Alternators - 200 laps # Ron Pitcar - 200 laps # Thomas Tanrev - 200 laps # Brad Gonzalez - 200 laps # Chick Hicks - 200 laps # James Carlidge - 200 laps # Dale Earnhardt Sr - 200 laps # Thomas Tireson - 200 laps # David Palmer - 200 laps # Mike Yankee - 200 laps # Alex Quint - 200 laps # Eugene Carbureski - 200 laps # Bernie Simpson - 200 laps # Klint Shiftright - 200 laps # Bill Shields - 199 laps # Misti Motorkrass - 199 laps # Claude Scruggs - 180 laps(multiple punctured tires due to hitting Ronalds Debris) # Ronald Oaks - 180 laps(almost fatal crash) # Tom Landis - 171 laps(crash into Sammy) # Sammy Smelter - 171 laps(crash into Tom) # Cole Speedland - 99 laps(spun by Chick) # Ernie Gearson - 16 laps(crash) # James Robson - 16 laps(crash) # William Highbanks- 1 lap(spun into the wall) Category:Historic Races